HM wage assurance

A STAFF REPORTER

Pay time

Calcutta, June 17: The Bengal government has sought a written assurance from Ambassador maker Hindustan Motors on clearing wage dues.

“The government has asked the management of Hindustan Motors to submit in writing when and how they are looking to clear due wages of the workers. The letter is supposed to reach my office the day after tomorrow,” Bengal labour secretary Amal Roy Chowdhury said after a tripartite meeting among the representatives of the state government, company management and unions at his office today.

Roy Chowdhury said the state wanted to know the options that could be exercised by the company’s management to lift the suspension of work and reopen the factory.

Today’s meeting was attended by Moloy Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Hindustan Motors, after the state government had asked for his presence in the earlier meeting on June 12.

The management today informed the government and the unions that it was in favour of clearing the dues.

Later in a statement a spokesperson for HM said, “The management is in favour of clearing dues and has assured to submit a letter to the labour secretary day after tomorrow in this context.

“The company has requested for a suitable time frame within which it can restructure the organisation and significantly reduce its liabilities before deciding on the next steps and till such a time (it) will continue to be engaged with the state in an effort to restructure the organisation.

“The company is committed to pay off all back wages as soon as it has the funds from the sale of assets detailed earlier,” the spokesperson said.